On one side of the cavern other colours peeped through the black. Ellie went closer, and saw most of the wall was covered in a crude picture, drawn in chalk and red ochre. She saw what looked like hills, and looming over them a shape. It was hard to make out its details – the charcoal layers grew ever thicker further up the wall – but it was clearly massive in relation to the landscape. At its feet (if they were feet) countless tiny stick-men lay prone amid stains of red, some of them broken in pieces. The few who still remained alive seemed to be abasing themselves before the figure.

The tattered creatures couldn’t have drawn that; they were blind. Men and women had created the image on the wall, as a memorial, history or warning. Or as instructions to their descendants: this is how you survive. Kneel before them, worship, and you might be spared. As the Harpers had ultimately done.

Charlotte and Jess had both climbed down, and now steadied the rope for Madeleine Lowe. Ellie continued surveying the cavern. There were three entrances; all were blind black holes.

Madeleine climbed surprisingly well; the “walking ghost” stage of her sickness, if that was what it was, seemed to be still in effect. She swayed when she released the rope, but steadied herself and picked her way down to the floor.

“Which way now?” Charlotte whispered. “Jess?”

Jess looked as lost as any of them. It wasn’t as though any of the Harpers would have cause to come down here. There might be something in the Family Bible, but Jess hadn’t seen its contents till today; only Liz Harper would know its secrets cover to cover, and she wouldn’t have helped them even if she’d been there.

Among the thick dead brambles above the rhyolite slab, Liz Harper crawled out from under her foil blanket, cursing through her teeth.

Stupid. Weak. She’d fallen asleep – asleep – while lying in wait. Fucking hell’s sake. Almost missed Judas Jess and her scumbag friends, and would’ve died of hypothermia if the noise of them below hadn’t startled her awake. Died of hypothermia if she was lucky, that is: after all, when They came swarming out, They’d hardly distinguish between one human and another.

And it was near dark now. If she ran, she might make Barrowman Farm before They came out of the Hollows. Or not. And while she wanted to believe Ellie Cheetham could do nothing to stop the Dance and what came after, even They weren’t invulnerable. Judas Jess had given them the Family Bible, the bitch: it wasn’t impossible Ellie Cheetham would find a way.

If she was quick, if she hurried, she could deal with Ellie Cheetham and her friends, then scramble up and run like hell for home. There were minutes of daylight left still: they might just be enough.